Achalasia

Achalasia

What Is Achalasia?

The term Achalasia means "failure to relax.” It is an oesophageal motility disorder which is associated with an inability of the oesophagus (food pipe) to move food inside the stomach. A ring of muscle situated between the lower oesophagus and the stomach known as lower oesophageal sphincter stays closed during swallowing, resulting in the back up of food.

Symptoms Of Achalasia

At first, the symptoms of Achalasia are small and can be ignored, but might eventually become harder. Some of the very common symptoms of Achalasia include:

If left untreated for the long duration the symptoms of Achalasia typically get worse, thereby, increasing the risk of developing cancer of the oesophagus.

Causes Of Achalasia

In people with motility disorders, oesophageal muscles fail to contract normally. The exact cause of damage caused to the nerves in the oesophagus is still unknown. However, theories have shown that Achalasia can elevate due to

The above conditions are considered as major causes that damage the oesophagus, which is why the muscles and ring of muscle don't work. It is associated with an autoimmune condition, where the body's immune system attacks healthy cells, tissue, and organs.

Diagnosing Achalasia:

There are three most common test uses to diagnose and evaluate Achalasia:

• Barium swallow: The patient has to swallow a barium preparation (liquid or another form) and its movement through the oesophagus is evaluated with the use of an X-ray.

• Endoscopy: In this process, an endoscope (flexible, narrow tube) is passed into the oesophagus and the inside image of the oesophagus is projected onto a screen.

• Manometry: This test is performed to measure the strength and timing of • Contractions of oesophagus• Relaxation of the lower oesophagal sphincter (valve)

Treatments For Achalasia

True that there is no cure for Achalasia, but there are several successful treatments available for it, which include:

Medication
At the time of early diagnosis, medicines such as nitrates or nifedipine can help dilate the narrowed part of the oesophagus and relax the muscle thereby providing a smooth passage to food inside the stomach.

The use of medicine provides a short term relief and helps ease the symptoms. If the condition is serious then a patient might have to go for a more permanent treatment.

Stretching The Muscle (Balloon Dilation)
A small balloon is passed into the oesophagus using a thin, flexible tube called an endoscope. This tube passes through the narrow section of the oesophagus and inflated to widen the space in the food pipe by tearing the muscles of the lower oesophageal sphincter.

This helps in improving the swallowing speed for most of the people, however for serious cases of Achalasia; a patient has to take this treatment for more than ones to improve the symptoms.

Minimally Invasive Surgery (Mis):
For patients with severe Achalasia, a minimally invasive surgical technique called laparoscopic oesophagomyotomy or the Heller Myotomy is used as a treatment approach
More than two third of the patient suffering from Achalasia under MIS, a surgeon use endoscope which is a thin, telescopic-like instrument which is inserted into the patient’s body by making a short incision. The endoscope has a tiny video camera-smaller than its dimension connected on its top, which projects a view of the operative site onto video monitors located in the operating room. The MIS offer a patient with many benefits like:

Botox Injection
It is the most recent way of treating Achalasia. In this treatment approach, a botox is injected into the lower oesophageal sphincter, thereby relaxing the ring of muscle and lets food flow into your stomach easily.

The effectiveness of the treatment may last for a few months and in rare cases for years. However, it has to repeat inpatient for more than ones for permanent relief. It is a special design for patients who cannot undergo the surgical process.
If left untreated, Achalasia can be debilitating. Thus, a patient must not ignore the symptoms and contact a healthcare expert for satisfactory long-term results.